State Representative Tom Morrison (R-Palatine) announced today that $17,637 in school library grant money has been approved for two school districts located in the 54th Legislative House District.

The School District Library Grant Program is designed to help provide more library books and materials for students attending public schools in Illinois. The state legislature has authorized up to a $.75 per pupil expenditure for qualifying schools. The grant award is based on funds appropriated by the General Assembly and the official enrollment as of the previous September 30th of a school district.

Specifically, the following grants will be processed by the Secretary of State’s Office next week and then forwarded to the Comptroller’s office for payment:

Township High School District #211: $8,724.75

Palatine Community Consolidated School District #15: $8,912.25

“Print and digital reading materials are an incredibly important element of teaching and learning,” said Morrison. “I am pleased to know that a portion of this year’s school library grant allocation will be put to good use right here in the 54th District.”

January is National Blood Donation Month, and the recent cold weather has added an additional strain to an already-low blood supply. Each unit of blood that is donated can save up to three lives, and while approximately 60 percent of the population is eligible to donate blood, fewer than five percent of the eligible public actually donates. Click here to find the location of an upcoming blood drive year you.

To be eligible to donate blood in Illinois, donors must:

Be 17 years of age or older (16 year-olds may donate with parental consent)